Everyone who uses a computer surely knows by now that Steve Jobs’ health has finally prompted him and Apple to publicly announce his resignation from the CEO’s office. I say publicly, because observing Apple’s recent performance leads me to believe that they must have been preparing, and relying on, the next set of leaders for some time now.
In other words, Apple knows the most important thing Jobs created was leadership. And his folks have apparently stood the initial tests.
I say all this because leaders so often fail to prepare those who will take their vision to the next level. Setting the course is primary, yes. But we now say “Apple” in the same sentence as “Exxon” when discussing corporate profits precisely because Jobs’ health did not stop his company from executing his vision. And that’s because Jobs led with the future in mind.
We see this failure of leadership often enough to attribute poor performance through transition to the followers. But one of John Maxwell’s irrefutable laws of leadership may be paraphrased: “Make yourself dispensible.” To me, the most remarkable thing about Jobs is that he managed to do this, even while everyone not Apple equated his company with himself.
Violations of this law are routinely exhibited. Even now, I write this from a casualty of failed leadership: a webOS Palm Pre +. I am glad to be able to reflect on the masterful leadership and vision of Jobs, and hope Apple fans everywhere will consume his most important product: iLead.